Couldn’t the doctor refuse on the grounds that it’s a needless medical procedure that has physical and psychological risks? The parents need to make it clear that they intend to sue any doc that does this.

Of course the kid might as well jump in front of a truck…his life is over. There is no possibility that he will not spend years in jail and decades in part-time employment. He can forget school, or church, or marriage. I’m glad I live in a country where this kind of idiocy is not rampant.

You’ve got a good idea here, for the doctor to have some sort of final moral veto on this whole obscene mess, and you follow it up with an accurate observation of what becomes of this kid if he gets tagged as a sexual predator before he’s finished high school.

And then you go and ruin it with the last sentence!

What is it about outrageous things involving the US Judicial system that so reliably brings out the troll in some non-US commenters?

I’m an American living abroad…and where I live they do not see sending ill-advised sexts as worth destroying a kid’s life over…it’s something to sit them down and talk about choices over.
Sometimes it’s good to remind Americans that other countries might just have a healthier way of dealing with certain subjects. Sorry you couldn’t see it as anything but trolling.

Also, your use of the term schaedenfreude implies that I take pleasure in watching this tragic situation. That’s all in your head, not mine. It makes me sick to see what’s happening to my country. The fact that I’m glad my kids aren’t in danger of prison on such charges doesn’t mean I’m happy that it’s a danger for others.

What is it about outrageous things involving the US Judicial system that so reliably brings out the troll in some non-US commenters?

Same thing as libel cases in the UK bringing out US trolls. Or expensive fruit bringing out trolls from all over.

There’s some stuff the US does that is uniquely fucked up, just like every other country. We laugh, cause it’s funny to see people take their ideology too far.

Lots of people seem to think that all countries exist somewhere upon a imaginary line from “bad country” to “good country” and that their particular country is furthest along the “good” line. You just have to live in a few countries to realise, man, nobody’s got it all figured out.

where I live they do not see sending ill-advised sexts as worth destroying a kid’s life over…it’s something to sit them down and talk about choices over.

News just in: Neither do most resident US citizens. This prosecutor is such a monumental pile of malfeasance and misconduct that he make Rob “Laughable Bumblefuck” Ford seem like a saint by comparison.

Does it happen too often? You bet! But don’t presume that the idiot prosecutor in this case represents the typical “American” attitude, any more than you represent the “typical” American.

jansob1:

Sometimes it’s good to remind Americans that other countries might just have a healthier way of dealing with certain subjects.

And you came to the forums at BoingBoing to do that? You’re preaching to the choir! If you want to educate ignorant Americans about the failings of their country, you might start with an audience that wasn’t already well aware of them, so…

jansob1:

Sorry you couldn’t see it as anything but trolling.

It’s either trolling, or an extraordinarily poor awareness of the community norms for the forum you’re posting on. Take your pick.

Also, your use of the term schaedenfreude implies that I take pleasure in watching this tragic situation.

Yeah, you got me there. [quote]Taking pleasure at the misfortune of others[/quote] is not exactly the right expression.

Surely there is a nice word in some language for [quote]I’m sure glad my location affords me certain advantageous differences from this other group and I’m going to call it out for special attention, even though it has nothing to do with the topic at hand.[/quote]

Did it really matter that it happened in the US? Why bring it up if it didn’t?

I never said it was something “most” people in the US agreed with, but this sort of thing is getting MORE common, and MORE insane in the US, and it’s something you notice more when you live abroad. I realized the other day that I’d be better off not sending my mom bathtime play pictures of my 2-year-old, not because most Americans would find them inappropriate, but because it’s an actual legal risk. I will not apologize for noting that this is fairly unique to the US.

I’ve seen plenty of posters here who seem like they could be reminded that it’s not just “those people over there” who are f’ed up. Seems like criticism of the US in this case hit a nerve. Might want to look at why it enraged you so.

Certainly it matters. If you’re an American you need to be aware of who’s running for office and vote against these yahoos. Too many people just assume it’s the norm and nothing can be done. Pointing out that it’s not normal elsewhere is not pointless.

The hell of it is, you’re not the worst offender. Indeed, you’re barely an “offender” at all, it was mostly a case of bad timing.

jansob1:

But you know that, you’re just one of THOSE people.

Yeah, I know that. I’m one of those people who donates actual cash money to EFF, LEAP, and Mayday.us. I’m one of those people who works to improve ballot access in his state for parties other than Republicrats and Demicans.

And still, amazingly, I’m not sophisticated enough to ignore unnecessary call-outs of the US; call-outs that are extraneous to the topic, simply gratuitous bashing.

I can’t possibly have anything meaningful to say to an ex-pat raising his children in a foreign country who wants to toss in a little anti-US snark to one of his posts.